I'll Always Come Back to You
by mrmrmr94
Summary: AU: Katniss wakes up after a car accident and can't remember the last 8 years of her life. She doesn't remember her husband. When her secrets come back to haunt her, who will she turn to to cope? Inspiration from The Vow.
1. Chapter 1

The first thing I hear is the sound of steady beeping. I can feel someone holding my hand. My throat is dry and my head is throbbing. I can hear people talking but it's muffled – like I'm on the other side of a wall straining to hear what they are saying.

"She'll wake up soon, it's only been three days." A male voice says.

When I finally open my eyes, all I can see is white. The light is blinding, which doesn't help with my headache. Once my eyes shift into focus, I am greeted by a man in blue scrubs, who is standing at the end of my bed.

He smiles and introduces himself as Dr. Gale Hawthorne.

"Hi Katniss, I'm Dr. Hawthorne. You may be confused right now, but that is completely normal. Do you have any questions?"

"Can I please have some water?" I asked.

"Yes, of course. Peeta can you go get her some water from the cafeteria, I'll stay here until you get back." Dr. Hawthorne said.

I hadn't even realized that Peeta was in the room. I guess that is what his name is. I have never seen him before in my life, but just being around him kept me calm. He has such a soothing presence, so once he left I started to panic. I had a million questions to ask, but I didn't know where to start. Dr. Hawthorne must have sensed this because he starting talking.

"You were in a car accident 3 days ago. You were hit by a drunk driver, who died on impact. You were the only one in the vehicle. You hit your head very hard off of the steering wheel. You miraculously only had a few cuts and bruises, but since the force of impact to your head caused swelling on your brain." He stated.

My breathing started to increase and I started hyperventilating. I tried taking slow breathes and I calmed down. The first question that popped into my head was 'Who's Peeta?' which I must of said out loud because Dr. Hawthorne answered it.

"He's your husband. What is the last thing you remember?" he asked.

"He's my husband, what do you mean I have a husband? The last thing I remember was moving away from home after graduation from high school. I'm only 18." I said through labored breathing, I was trying not to have a panic attack.

All I could keep thinking was that he's going to come after me. He's going to find out about my car accident and he's going to come here and kill me. As soon as I thought that I started crying.

"Is my mom here? Or my dad? What about Prim? Is anyone here I know, I don't know Peeta! Where is he? He can calm me down, even though I don't remember him, he can help me. Where is he?" I cried. I started sobbing uncontrollably.

As soon as I started sobbing Peeta walked in with a couple water bottles, he walked over to the bed, climbed in and held me while I cried into his shirt.

"I – I –I don't even remember you and you're my – my husband." And I started crying even harder, I haven't cried this much since I told my parent what happened to me this past summer.

"Sshhh, Katniss its okay, just breathe honey, everything will be fine." Peeta said softly while running his fingers through my hair. Just being in his presence while I barely know him is calming and I feel safe. I'm starting to see why I married him. No one has made me feel safe besides my dad. I try taking deep breathes that match Peeta's to calm down. After a few minutes my breathing returns to normal. During my emotional outburst I completely forgot that Doctor Hawthorne was still in the room.

"Everything you are feeling is completely normal Katniss. I have a strong feeling that you will get your memory back, since you are already trusting Peeta and you don't have any memories of him. The brain heals and gets injured in complex ways. It seems to me that your feelings for Peeta are somewhat still there, which is going to help you a lot in your healing process. Now, as for your treatment plan the best thing to do is to return to your normal life, but take it easy for the first few weeks. I recommend that you live with Peeta, and try to do what you normally do. I don't want you straining yourself, so you aren't allowed to go back to work just yet. The swelling in your brain has gone down, so you will be going for another MRI in an hour, and as long as that's clear you can be discharged tomorrow afternoon." Dr. Hawthorne explained.

"No, I don't think I have any more questions, if I do I'll ask a nurse." I said. I think at this point I have more for Peeta, than I do for the doctor.

I start taking sips of water to help with my sore throat, it was already sore before but it doesn't help that I started hysterically crying.

"Okay, I will see you tomorrow Mrs. Mellark." Dr. Hawthorne says as he closes the door behind him.

"Katniss Mellark, I like the sound of that." I said smiling.

I watch Peeta from the corner of my eye, and I can tell he wants to say something to me, but with my emotional outbursts I think he is trying to be selective. Before he even gets a chance to say anything I just blurt out a million different questions.

"How long have we been married? How long did we date? How old am I? What do I do for a living? What day is it? Where's my mom? And Dad? And Prim?" I said so fast I don't know if he caught it all.

"It's Tuesday, May 20th 2014. You just turned 26. We met when you were 20, we dated for 3 years, we were engaged for a year, and we've been married for almost 2 years. Your mom is here in the waiting room, the doctors didn't want to overwhelm you with information so there's only one visitor at a time. Your dad is on his way, his flight lands at 4 this afternoon, it's around 7 in the morning right now, and Prim's flight gets in around 12. They will both be coming straight to the hospital from the airport. As for work you work with your dad, he was a business trip which is why he isn't here right now. You don't have to worry about work, your dad gave you an unlimited leave, so your job will be there whenever you want to go back. Your mom and I have been keeping both of them updated on you so they know what's going on." He explained.

"Okay," I nod my head while processing this information. I can't imagine how hard this is on him. I already am so worried about him and I don't even know him. I woke up and I don't even know who he is. I have to tell him how I am feeling, he is my husband and I should trust him enough to tell him everything. I take a deep breathe. "Peeta, I just want you to know, well you probably already know, but I'm not good at talking about my feelings, so even though I don't know you right now, you're my husband so I will try to be as honest as I can with you. I'm so sorry I don't remember you, or our relationship." As soon as I said that I started crying again. " But, already I feel like I can trust you, you make me feel safe, like no one can hurt me because you're here, the only other person who makes me feel that way is my dad, but even that doesn't compare. I've been around you for 10 minutes and I can already see why I married you. When you're around me, it calms me down, I can relax and not have to worry which from what I can remember right now I never had before. So thank you, and please don't worry on how to help me, because you're helping me so much just by being here." I said while grabbing his hand to hold it with both of mine like a lifeline.

"I'll be here for whatever you need Katniss. I'd do anything to keep you safe. You have to know that, okay?" he said and kissed my forehead. "Do you want me to go get your mom?" he asked.

"Yes, please." I said. I hoped Peeta couldn't sense that I was starting to panic because I haven't been left alone since I woke up. But of course he did.

"Hey, I'll be right back with your mom and you can talk to her while I go and get you some food, okay?" he said, as he wiped tears from my face that I didn't know were there.

"O-okay." I hiccupped.

He kissed me on the cheek, and left the room.

Once I was alone, I started to freak out. All I can remember is that I had just told my parents last week what had happened. I wasn't supposed to tell anyone, if I did he would kill me. He's going to find out I'm in the hospital and he will hurt me somehow. What am I going to do? I can't leave the hospital. Have I even told Peeta what happened to me? I can't remember 8 years of my life. My mom should know what is going on. Just take deep breathes Katniss until she gets here. In, out, in, out, in, out. Just breathe, you can stay calm until mom gets here.

The door opens, and my mom walks in. As soon as I see her I burst into tears.

"Mom! You need to get me out of here, he's going to come after me. He said if I told anyone he would kill me, and I told you and Dad last week, and Dad called the cops. He's going to find me, and he's going to hurt me and Peeta. Does Peeta even know what happened?" I cried.

"Sweetheart, just breathe. I have some explaining to do. First of all, he isn't going to come after you. He was arrested and while he was in prison awaiting trial he had a heart attack and died. You have nothing to worry about. You are in therapy about what happened to you, you haven't told Peeta yet. That's why I'm here, the day you got in your accident both of us were going to sit down with Peeta and tell him. Cinna, your therapist said it was time to tell him and you were. You never told him because for a lot of time you blamed yourself, and Prim convinced you to go see someone. Peeta knows that you were going to therapy but he doesn't know why you were going. You didn't want him to look at you differently."

"Okay, but why wouldn't I tell him? He's my husband, we should tell each other everything. He should've known years ago what happened to me. I'm so mad at myself for not telling him. I've been lying to him, I thought he knew Mom. Why didn't I tell him sooner? I just want to forget what happened to me. Why can't I forget that and remember him? I just want to forget Mom, please make me forget it hurts too much. It hurts too much." I cried myself out and then I told her. "You need to tell him, tell him that I'm going to tell him soon, once we get home, I'll tell him. Please tell him not to be mad at me. Tell him he needs to be protective, and that I'll be jumpy and he can't sneak up on me. Tell him that he needs to be understanding. To me, all of it just stopped 2 weeks ago. I waited a week to tell you and Dad. I'm a mess because if it. You need to warn him, because of this accident I'm not the same person I was three days ago, I can feel it, I know I'm not the same. Right now I'm traumatized, and I wouldn't be surprised if I have some kind of PTSD. In my memory I looked it up yesterday, and I think I have it."

"Katniss, I'll tell him, he's going to be fine, he's support you and love you no matter what happened in the past, okay? You have nothing to worry about." She told me.

"Hey, Mom?" I whispered. "Me and Peeta, we were happy?"

"You were so happy and so in love. You had never been happier. You guys are each other's world. You remind me of your father and me." She said smiling.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Peeta's POV

I walked back to Katniss' room, and I heard her mom say "You remind me of your father and me."

I saw Katniss smile, she has such a beautiful smile.

She didn't notice me right away, but once she did her eyes lit up and she smiled even bigger.

I gave her the food that I had bought. And I offered some food to Mrs. Everdeen. She declined.

"Peeta, can I talk to you for a minute?" She asked.

"Yeah, that's fine, Katniss will you be okay?" I asked her.

"I'll be okay, you won't be gone too long, I'll just eat." She said, while trying not to cry.

"Okay, I'll be right back."

I followed behind Mrs. Everdeen into the hallway. She looked at me with tears in her eyes.

"You know how Katniss was going to therapy?" She asked, I nodded my head. "Well, she called me on Friday, because it was her last session, and as you know she was in therapy over something that happened during her childhood. The last thing she had to do as part of her therapy was to tell you why she was going to therapy in the first place. She was a little nervous, which was why I was visiting on Friday. I was going to be there with her when she told you. It's not that she didn't want to tell you alone, it's just that I already know, so when she got too upset I would be there to help fill in the blanks for you. I am not going to tell you what happened right now, but with the frame of mind she is in, what she went through for her just ended 2 weeks ago, to her she just told me and her father what happened. She wanted me to talk to you about this, because she's having a hard time. You're already helping her so much so just continue what you're doing. Comfort her at all times, she's a little lost right now. By the time she met you she was doing a lot better, so you've never seen her like this. She's a mess, she isn't crying because of the accident 3 days ago, she's crying because of what she went through. She doesn't want you to get mad at her once she tells you. She's already mad at herself because she thinks that you should've known earlier. She takes it very seriously that you're her husband right now, she feels like you need to know absolutely everything. She has PTSD. For her, she gets nightmares about what happens, and she'll cry a lot. She's jumpy, do not sneak up on her or scare her. She's going to be very needy right now, and feels like she needs to be protected, so protect her. I know you will anyways. You are the best thing that has ever happened to her, and she's barely been around you and she already knows it, I can see it in her eyes. Once she tells you, please call me or Steve, we knew she was going to tell you so if you have any more question ask us. She isn't going to know all of the answers because of her memory right now." She said.

"Okay, that's a lot to process, but I'll do whatever I can do. I'll call you or Steve when I find out. Thank you for telling me, and being here the past few days. I don't know what I would've done without you here." I said sincerely.

"Don't worry about it Peeta, you're family. I'm going to head home though, clean up the house for Prim, and I'll go get her at the airport and fill her in on what's going on. I'll call your cell phone when we are on our way back to the hospital." Mrs. Everdeen tells me. "Get back in there, the way she is right now she doesn't like to be alone."

"Okay, I'll see you soon." I turned around and walked back into Katniss' room. The first thing I noticed was that she ate, which is a relief. She's curled up in a ball on the bed, sleeping. I sit down in the chair and doze off for what I think is about an hour until I get woken up by the screaming.

I wake up disoriented, until I realize that the screaming is coming from Katniss. She's crying and screaming in her sleep – her mother mentioned she gets nightmares – I run over to the bed, and brush the hair out of her face.

"Katniss, wake up. It isn't real, you're safe." I tell her.

She stops crying and wakes up. The look on her face when she wakes up tells me that she's terrified. My heart aches for her.

"Peeta." She chokes out before starting to sob.

I pick her up and hold her in my arms as she continues to cry. She spins around to hug me – so hard it's almost uncomfortable – but she starts to calm down.

"Katniss, you're safe now. Don't worry, I'll keep you safe and protect you. Just try to relax." I whispered to her while rubbing circles on her lower back.

"Please don't leave me." She cried.

"I'm not going anywhere, I won't leave you."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Katniss' POV

I am being wheeled back into my room with Peeta and Dr. Hawthorne. My MRI came back clear, so I am allowed to be discharged early. I won't have to spend another night in the hospital. Peeta already brought me clothes, that way he wouldn't have to leave the hospital. He brought me jogging pants and one of his sweaters. It smells like him, so when I have it on, it calms me down.

I'm trying to distract myself from thinking about what has happened to me in the past few weeks. I am more concerned about that, than the fact that I was in a car accident and I can't remember 8 years of my life. The memories will come back – I hope sooner, rather than later.

My mom just called Peeta, Prim's flight got delayed. Prim and Dad will be arriving at the same time, 4pm tonight. They will be coming over after dinner.

I just finished signing my discharge papers – I'm free at last. I still have to sit in a wheel chair while they bring me down to the lobby. I'm with a nurse now, while Peeta goes and gets the car. Peeta arrives in a SUV, he puts in park, jumps out and grabs my bag and puts it in the backseat. He helps me up and walks me to the passenger side. He even buckles my seat belt for me. I never realized how much taller Peeta is compared to me. I'm only 5' 2", while Peeta has to be at least 6' 3".

"I'm so glad to be out of that hospital," I tell Peeta as he puts the car in drive. "There's too many people there and it freaks me out."

"Well, it's only you and me at home, so you don't have to freak out." Peeta tells me.

I let out a sigh of relief. For all I know, we could've had roommates.

"We are best friends with a couple across the street, Finnick and Annie. We usually have dinner with them on Fridays. But I told them that I would talk to you about it, if you're too overwhelmed we don't have to have them over." He explains.

"No, they should come over. It's part of the routine. I can't hide out forever, and if they're our best friends then I want to meet them. Plus, its only Tuesday, for all I know I could have my memory back by then." I tell him.

"That is true, I'll call them once we get home." He said.

A few minutes later we pull into a driveway of a 2 story colonial house. It has red brick, and white shutters and it's my dream house.

"We live here? This place is amazing!" I tell Peeta.

"Yeah we live here," he says while laughing. "We bought this place right after we got married, we both do really well for a living. You work at Abernathy's Landscaping. Your dad owns the place now, Haymitch died around 5 years ago and left the place to your dad. He hired you right out of college, and now you're one of the managers. As for me, my family owns 5 bakeries around North Carolina. My dad retired 3 years ago and I inherited all of them. My dad still helps me out, since he's bored in retirement so he running the shop right now. I don't really have to go back to work for at least a week." He explained to me.

"Wait, you own Mellark's bakery? How did I not realize that? Oh my god. The cheese buns are amazing." I told him.

"I make those, I made the recipe like 10 years ago and I've been making them ever since." Peeta says.

"Peeta you're always saving me." I tell him seriously.

"I don't know how making cheese buns is saving you, but okay."

Oh Peeta, if you only knew.

"Can we go inside now? I need to tell you what happened."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Katniss POV

Peeta nods his head, and then grabs the bags from the back seat, and brings them into the house. I follow slowly behind him.

As soon as we walk in, the first thing I see is a giant stair case that leads up to the second floor. The house is spotless, and warm and inviting. It feels like home. With dark floors, and light coloured walls it's exactly how I imagined my house would look like. To the right is a dining room, and to the left is a living room. I take my shoes off and put them next to Peeta's and walk into the living room. There's an oversized white couch with tonnes of colourful pillows on it with soft blankets hanging off of the back. With a dark wood coffee table in front of it, with candles on it. Across from the couch there are 2 worn leather chairs that look very comfortable. The entire wall across from the couch has built in book shelves, which are filled with books and pictures. There's a fireplace in the middle, with a television on top. Peeta wasn't lying when he said that we were well off. I walk across the room to look at the pictures, there's pictures of Peeta and I, and me with my family. There's pictures of Peeta with who I think are his brothers and Dad. There's a picture of us with another couple, maybe they're Finnick and Annie? I don't know.

Peeta walks down a hallway next to the wall with the book shelves on it and I follow him. It leads to the kitchen. Everything in the house is light and vibrant, and I feel safe here, which will make it easier on me to tell Peeta what happened. He around the island and asks if I want a tea, he knows me so well. He can probably sense that I'm nervous, and the tea will help calm me down.

As the tea is steeping, I tell him, "I'm trying to think of a way to tell you about what happened to me, but I don't even know where to begin, there's so much to explain." I look down at my hands and look at my engagement ring while trying to form a thought.

"Why don't you start at the beginning? I can bring the tea into the living room and we can talk in there. We have all the time in the world. So just tell me as best as you can." He tells me, while grabbing my tea, and a water bottle from the fridge for himself. I nod my head and follow him back into the living room.

We sit down on the couch and I grab the blanket that is hanging off the back and cover up my legs while sitting criss-cross apple sauce. Peeta puts tea on the table, and once he sits down I grab his hand and hold it while drawing circles on it with my thumb. It calms me down, I take a deep breathe, I look Peeta in the eye and I begin…

"It started at the Christmas party my parents throw every year, I was fourteen and I, like any other teenager didn't want to stay home on a Friday night to hang out with my whole entire family. I wanted to be with my friends. So I got all dressed up and pretended that I enjoyed the party but by an hour into it I went back to my room, put on pajamas and put on a Christmas movie to fall asleep…" I drift off into my own thoughts, and look back at Peeta. The only look he's giving me is so full of love, and I don't want him to think differently of me once I tell him. He must sense this, because he tells me, "Katniss, I love you with all my heart, whatever you tell me won't make me love you any less, I'll probably love you even more. You're safe, you're at home with me." I start silently crying.

"So I put the movie on to fall asleep, I watched about half of it until I started dozing off, when someone came into my room." I looked at Peeta with terror in my eyes as I remembered what happened. "My Uncle Cray came into my room, and he was really drunk, and he came and sat next to me on my bed. He started asking me questions like if I enjoyed the party? But I was already uncomfortable so I kept my answers short. I didn't understand why he came upstairs and snuck into my room. There's a bathroom on the first floor at my parent's house. And he just kept staring at me, and then he put his hand on the inside of my thigh, and I knew. I knew what was going to happen. I tried to jump off my bed and run downstairs but my feet got tangled in the blankets, so he grabbed me and pinned me to the bed and I couldn't move. I just cried and screamed for him to stop but he wouldn't. He ripped my pants off, and took off his, and he forced himself onto me. It hurt so badly, but he wouldn't stop. I begged him to stop but he wouldn't. When he finally finished, he kissed me and he put his hands around my throat but he didn't squeeze them and said 'If you tell anyone about this, I'll come back up here and kill you in your sleep, and no one will ever know it was me. If you don't believe me, I'll do this to Prim.' So I kept my mouth shut, and I never said anything to anyone. Whenever there was a family get together, I tried to avoid it, but I got stuck going and he would do it again and again, and he kept threatening me so I stayed quiet. I had plans when I was 15 and I got out of one of them, and the next time I went, he threw me up against a wall and I cracked some ribs, so I never missed another one because I was terrified he would kill me or hurt Prim. I didn't fight him anymore, he did what he had to do, and I stayed quiet, because if I fought it lasted longer. The attacks always happened on a Friday. So, on Saturday mornings, I would sneak out of the house, and I would ride my bike, and when I got old enough I took my car, and I went to your bakery, and I got a hot chocolate and a cheese bun. And I would stay and eat, and for a little while I still felt like an innocent child who wasn't being raped by their uncle. That saved me, even though I didn't know you, you saved me, I had somewhere to go to escape. My room was my sanctuary, but he ruined it for me. The bakery turned into my sanctuary, I felt safe there. He took my innocence, and my freedom of who I wanted to be with, he used me and made me feel dirty. And you're dad was always so nice to me, he must've known something was going on, I hid it at home, but you could see it in my eyes when I went there." I looked at Peeta then, and smiled. "You saved my life Peeta, and for that I'm grateful." He wiped the tears from my face, while I continued.

"To me, this lasted for 3 and a half years, until I was going to move away to go to school, so I told my parents a week before I was supposed to leave. The attacks ended a week before that. So to me the last one feels like it was only 2 weeks ago. I told them and they cried, and they were upset that I didn't tell them for so long, but they figured out quickly how terrified I was. My Dad called the cops and that all I remember myself. When I talked to my mom this morning they told me he was arrested and he was in jail when he had a heart attack and died. He was never prosecuted. That's why I was so scared at the hospital, I thought I was attacked and he was going to kill me because with my memory loss I remembered telling my parents last week. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner, you should have known sooner."

"It doesn't matter when you told me, I'm glad you told me. I'm not mad, I know how difficult it must be for you to talk about what happened to you. You are such a strong person to go through that and not let it completely ruin you. I love you. I'll always love you. I don't love you any less." Peeta tells me.

"I wish I could remember everything right now, I wouldn't be in so much pain. It hurts Peeta, it hurts so much." I'm holding onto his hand so tightly.

"I wish there was something I could do to take away your pain. I would do anything to take all your pain away." He said.

"Can you – can you just hold me?" I asked.

"That I can do." He says.

So I throw the blanket off of my lap and it lands somewhere behind the couch. Peeta lies down and I lie down next to him and he pulls me into his arms, and I lie my head down on his chest and listen to his heartbeat. He rubs his hand up and down my arm to calm me and I start getting sleepy.

So I lie there with my eyes closed enjoying just being around him, when I start getting flashes of images in my head of Peeta and me doing this a lot, we're watching tv, or I'm leaning my head on his shoulder while reading a book, or I'm talking to Prim on the phone while Peeta plays with my hair. What makes me so surprised about the flashes is the feelings I get along with them, some memories last longer. I am so happy, and content, and loved, and I loved Peeta with my whole heart I can feel it in my bones. I'm happy and in love with Peeta Mellark.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Katniss' POV

I gasp, and get off the couch, trying to recover from the memories that had decided to come back. I'm looking at Peeta, who must have fallen asleep while lying there with me when I get another memory.

Peeta and I are lying in a field, it must be summer because it's still very warm out while were are looking at the stars.

"Today was perfect. I don't think I could be any happier." I tell him.

"I have another surprise for you." He says to me while putting a blindfold over my eyes. He stands me up, and then a couple seconds later, he tells me to take my blindfold off. At first I am confused because I don't know where he went, but I look down and he's on one knee, and he's smiling at me. I'm smiling back so hard, my face hurts, but I don't care.

"Katniss, before I met you I was just going through the motions of life, and I wasn't really living. But I met you, and I fell so in love with you, and you make me better. I talked to your dad, last week and he gave me permission to ask you this, but he told me he was waiting for this conversation since the first time he met me because he had never seen you so happy in your entire life. So, Katniss Everdeen, will you mar-?" I cut him off with a kiss, he fell down and I fell on top of him and smiled. I didn't need to see the ring, he didn't even have to ask the entire question, my answer would always be yes.

"Katniss, I didn't even get to ask you the question, will you marry me?" He asked me.

"I love you, yes." I laughed.

As soon, as that memory ended, I'm already crying because it was so beautiful, I get another memory.

I'm getting married to Peeta. It's a small wedding, my dad is trying to get me to slow down, I just want to get to Peeta, and I'm getting impatient. I finally get there, and my dad shakes Peeta's hand, and my dad kisses me on the cheek, and he places my hand in Peeta's and I'm home. I don't see anything else but him. I'm so happy and in love and lost in my own thoughts, I don't even realize the priest talking to me. We say our vows, and I realized then, that if anything ever happened to me I would always find my way back to him, and fall in love with him all over again. And then the memory ends.

I'm sitting back down on the couch, even though I though I thought I was standing. Peeta's kneeling down in front of me. He's talking to me but I can't hear him. I start smiling, and that's when he starts to get confused. I remember our wedding and our proposal, and I'm so lost in the feelings that I lean in and kiss him. When I do I forget everything else, and it's just him. It's perfect.

Then I get another memory, I'm standing in the bathroom, smiling as I flush my birth control down the toilet. Peeta's birthday is in a couple months, we talked about having kids, and we were going to start trying after his birthday, but I would love to get pregnant before, and that can be part of his gift. Then the memory is gone.

Oh shit! I need to get to a drug store, as soon as possible. Call it a mother's intuition, but I'm pregnant.

Peeta's still staring at me, as I jump off the couch, "We need to go to the drug store right now." He looks at me like I have 3 heads.

"I will explain it to you in the car, we need to go now." As I walk out of the living room, grab my purse and put my shoes on.

I walk outside with Peeta behind me, who must be so confused.

As soon as we get in the car, I tell him "Do you want the good news, the good news, the good news, or the even better good news?"

"The good news?" he says.

I'm bouncing on the seat, I am so excited. "Okay, so after I told you what happened we were lying on the couch, and you were rubbing my arm – which helped calm me down – so thank you. Anyways, so I started to get sleepy, and I was getting a headache from getting so emotional, so I was going to fall asleep when I started getting flashes." I tell him.

"Flashes?" he asks.

"Yeah, there was three of them, one we were just lying there, just like we were a little while ago, which is what I think triggered them. So there was that and we were just watching TV, and then another one I was leaning on your shoulder reading a book, and my favourite, you were playing with my hair, and I was talking to Prim on the phone, and she was telling me a funny story about something that happened at school. My memory is coming back, but that isn't the best part. So I got those memories back, and then I was kind of stunned that that happened so quickly. I really thought they weren't going to come back so fast. So I stood up and got off the couch, and I was just standing there, looking at you 'cause you make me so happy, the emotions I had during those memories is what gets me crying. Anyways, so I was standing there, it wasn't even a minute, and I got another memory." I looked over at him now, "We were in a field, at night, and I told you how that night was so perfect, and I didn't know how anything got better than that. And you told me you had another surprise, and blindfolded me. Then you took the blindfold off, and you proposed, and you asked my dad for permission, I didn't even let you finish asking the question before I kissed you, and then we fell over. I didn't even care about looking at the ring, I was just ecstatic that we were getting married and you asked my dad. That meant a lot to me. Then I started crying because it was so perfect and beautiful, when I got another memory. It was our wedding, and I was rushing to get down the aisle. And my dad had to keep pulling me back, and we finally got there and I took your hand, and I was home. Nothing else mattered, all I could see was you. I was so out of it, I didn't even realize the priest was talking to me." I laughed. "Anyways, so we said our vows, and I fell so in love with you, even more than before because you just became my husband, and we kissed, and the last thought I had before the memory was over was if something ever happened to me, I would do whatever I could to find you again and fall in love with you all over again." I tell him. "But that isn't even the best part."

"There's something better than you just admitting, that first of all you are getting your memories back, and that you remember our proposal and our wedding, and that you just admitted that you're in love with me? What could be better than that?" he said to me.

"Yes, there's something better than that, so once that memory ended, you must have sat me down, I'm guessing I zone out completely, and I could see that you were talking to me but I couldn't hear anything. And then I kissed you, and I could feel another memory coming back. This is the best one. So I'm standing in the bathroom, I'm guessing it's at home, but I'm not too sure. Anyways, while I'm standing in the bathroom, I remember a conversation I had with you where we were talking about having kids and that we were going to start trying after your birthday. But I knew you're birthday wasn't for at least a few months. And so the surprise was I flushed all my birth control pills down the toilet, I haven't been on birth control in 3 months. I know that because I know your birthday is in June, and I thought 'well I'll have a few months of trying to get pregnant, so one of my gifts to you would be that I'm pregnant and I could surprise you.' I have never cried so much in the past few hours, even when I told my parents what happened I didn't cry as much. So we are going to the drug store, because I need to get a pregnancy test, because I'm like 95% sure that I am pregnant." I tell him.

"That is definitely the best news. Are you sure you're okay with this though? Not even 8 hours ago, you didn't even know you're married, and now you think you're pregnant?" he asks me.

"Peeta, I love you. I am so in love with you, I didn't even know how it's possible to love you as much as I do. My mom told me this morning that we remind her of my dad and her. My parents are the best people in the world, they would do anything for me, so if we remind her of my dad and her than I have no doubts in my mind that we will be amazing parents. The memories that I remember stay with me, I remember you proposing and our wedding, I remember being so in love with you, and it makes me love you so much now. So don't worry, besides you this is the best thing that has ever happened." I tell him.

I'm so anxious to find out I don't even realize we arrived at a CVS. I jump out of the car and wait for Peeta, and hold his hand while we walk through the doors. We find the pregnancy tests, and I grab 3 of them, just to be sure and we buy them and head back to the car. I'm so excited I'm skipping all the way back to the car, and I'm bouncing on the way home. It's a good thing I already have to pee, so Peeta directs me to the bathroom and I open all the boxes. 2 lines mean pregnant and 1 line means I'm not. I pee on all 3 sticks, and open the door so Peeta can wait in the bathroom with me.

"This is the longest 3 minutes of my life." I tell him.

Peeta's phone vibrates, telling us that the 3 minutes are up.

I look at all three tests, 2 pink links. I'm pregnant.

I pull Peeta into a hug and start crying.

"I'm s-s-so ha-happy." I say into his shirt.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Peeta POV

"We're having a baby." I tell her.

We are both crying and hugging each other.

All of a sudden she freezes up, and stares at something that's in her mind. A couple minutes later she's back and all she says is "Prim knew about my plan. I'm guessing I couldn't keep that surprise to myself." She laughs, and grabs my hand and drags me after her into the kitchen.

I sit on the bar stool, while she opens the fridge, and starts grabbing food and putting it on the counter. She has a slice of chocolate cake, a Caesar salad kit, orange juice and pickles. She puts all the food in front of me, and stands on the opposite side of the island. She starts eating the chocolate cake, and moans.

"I'll make sure we have chocolate cake in the house at all times."

"Please do," she says "and cheese buns."

"We should set some rules," she tells me while putting another piece of cake in her mouth, "first of all you cannot make fun of my weight during the pregnancy or you'll be sleeping on the couch. Secondly, do not comment on what I'm eating or how much I am eating, you will guarantee me bursting into tears. And lastly, when I do start crying because it's bound to happen at one point, just hold me until I calm down."

"I think we have a deal." I reach out my left hand to shake hers, and she smiles and laughs, and then she bursts into tears.

I hop off of the bar stool, and walk around the island and hold her in my arms, while she tries to calm her breathing down.

"I'm so tired, but I'm scared to fall asleep. I keep seeing _him, _and I relive that first time over and over again. And in the dream, I can never fight him off, and if I fight him he gets more violent, and if I don't then it lasts longer and I can't wake up and I'm stuck in this dream and it terrifies me." She tells me.

"Come on, we'll go lay down. I'll stay with you the whole time. You need to rest, any additional stress you have isn't good for the baby. I won't go anywhere. Okay?"

"Okay."

We go back into the living room, and lay down on the couch. She puts her head on my chest, and I wrap the blanket around her. In a few minutes she falls asleep, I can tell by her steady breathing. I turn on the television, and put on a basketball game, but I'm not paying attention, I'm just watching Katniss sleep.

I must have fallen asleep, and lost track of time, because it's dark out and there's a knock at the door. I slowly lift Katniss up and place her back down on the couch and I go and answer the door. Standing outside are Mr. and Mrs. Everdeen and Prim.

"Hi, Come on in." I tell the 3 of them.

As they walk through the door, I tell them "Katniss is sleeping in the living room, she's been sleeping for about 3 hours and then we can all go into the living room and talk. You can go in the kitchen while I wake her up. The last time she's seen Prim, she thinks you're 14, she's going to be very surprised to see you at 22."

While they walk down the hall into the kitchen from the foyer, I walk back into the living room, and kneel down next to Katniss who is still sleeping on the couch. I can tell she's in a nightmare because she's tense and crying in her sleep. I wipe the tears off of her face.

"Katniss, Katniss – honey – wake up, it's just a dream. You're okay, you're safe."

She opens her eyes, and she stares at me and starts crying even harder.

"Peeta," she chokes out "he wouldn't stop, and I couldn't wake up. It didn't matter how many times I tried fighting him off, he wouldn't stop."

"It's okay, I'm here now." I tell her.

"Where did you go? You promised you wouldn't leave me." She screams at me.

"Katniss, look at me. You need to breathe, deep breathes. The doorbell rang, your parents and sister are here. They are in the kitchen. That's why I woke you up." I tell her.

She takes a deep breathe. "They're really here?"

"Yes, Prim, and your mom and dad, they are all here in the kitchen." I tell her.

"Do you think Prim knows about what happened to me?" She asks me.

"I don't know, I can ask your mom and dad for you. I'm sure you have a lot of questions to ask them about it." I said.

"Okay, thank you. I'm sorry for yelling at you, I was just so scared." She says to me in a quiet voice.

"It's okay, you have nothing to apologize for. I love you." I say.

"I love you too," she smiles "Come on," she stands up and grabs my hand, "I want to see my family."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Katniss POV

I walk into the kitchen, with Peeta walking in front of me. Prim and my mom are sitting at the island with my dad standing next to my mom.

I am speechless, looking at Prim. The last I remember seeing her she was 14, and now she's 22. She looks like a goddess, with her long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. I let go of Peeta's hand and hug Prim, and I start crying.

"Prim, you've grown so much since the last time I remember seeing you. You were only 14. It's good to see you little duck." I smile at her.

"Katniss, I'm 22, you need to stop calling me little duck. You look amazing by the way, considering you were just in a car accident." She tells me, and hugs me again.

"Okay, I'll try to stop. I really am so happy to see you." I tell her.

"I am too." She says.

"Hey Peeta, do you think we can order a pizza? I really want a pizza, and then we can tell them about our afternoon, there's a lot of stuff that's gone on." I say.

"Yeah, we can get one, what do you want on it?" He asks me.

"Pepperoni, ham, bacon, mushrooms, and hot peppers." I tell him.

Peeta leaves the room, to call the pizza place. As soon as he leaves, I get another memory back.

I am sitting in the living room, with my parents and Prim, and she's crying. She stands up and throws her arms around me and apologizes. She says "I wish you would've told someone, you didn't have to go through all that and protect me. You could've told me, and I would have saved you."

Then I'm back in the present, and Peeta is cradling my face in his hands while I'm crying.

"Katniss, it's okay, you're safe now. What did you remember?" he asks me.

"We were sitting on the couch, it was me and my parents and Prim, and I'm guessing that we just finished telling her what happened to me and she ran into my arms, and she was apologizing to me, saying that I didn't need to protect her, that I could've told her and she would have saved me. Why didn't I tell someone sooner Peeta?" I cried to him.

"You were scared, and you had every right to be scared. The best thing you did was that you told someone, it doesn't matter how long it took you. He got what he deserved. There's no point in dwelling on it now. You can't be stressed out remember?" He looks at me seriously.

"Yeah, I know. I want to tell them everything." I give him a knowing look, he knows I'm talking about the baby.

"That's totally fine. I just want to be there when you do, so you can talk about being discharged, and what happened in the hospital and that's it. Once the pizza arrives, which should be in about 15 minutes, we will tell them everything that's happened once we got home, okay?" he says to me.

"Okay, I can do that." I say to him, and I pull him into a hug. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"I say the same thing to myself all the time." He pulls out the hug and smiles at me and kisses my forehead. "Come on, your family is in the living room." He grabs my hand and helps me off the stool.

"How long was I out of it this time?" I ask him.

"About twenty minutes." He says matter-of-factly.

"Twenty minutes? The memory was less than 5, did my family see what happened?" I ask him quickly.

"Yeah, they saw you zone out, and I just told them I would deal with it, and it's nothing to worry about, and that I would explain it to them." He tells me as we walk into the living room.

"Hi, sorry about earlier, um I'll explain it to you in a minute." I tell my parents and Prim as they look at me with worried eyes.

I go and sit on the couch with Prim to my left, and Peeta to my right. My parents are sitting in the two chairs that we have in the living room.

"How are you doing sweetie?" My dad asks me.

"Considering the circumstances I'm going great. Peeta's been a great help. I got discharged this morning and when we got home, I um, I told him about what happened with Uncle Cray." I look away and will the tears not to come.

"Is the PTSD still really bad?" he asks.

"Yeah, for the most part I'm fine, it's just when I got to sleep. I get the nightmares, and I can't wake up from them." I tell my dad as he nods his head. "I'm afraid to go to sleep."

"It's going to be difficult for a little while, but you'll get through it. Is there anything that you don't remember?" he asks me.

"Well, I remember telling you and mom last week. But mom told me in the hospital that he was arrested and that he died while awaiting trial or something like that." I say to him.

"Yeah, he was arrested 3 weeks after you told us, he never came to the house after that. We didn't have any more family functions. We worked with the police to build a case and once we had enough evidence, he was arrested. You don't remember this because you blocked a lot out, but you took pictures of the bruises he gave you. And you kept them hidden underneath your bed with all of the dates that he attacked you. You wrote in a journal in detail what happened each time and that was going to be used in the trail along with the x-rays of when he cracked your ribs. We had a solid case, the lawyers and police said he would get at least 50 years. He was going to be charged with 37 counts of sexual assault, and 40 counts of assault. It also didn't help his case that you were a minor for 35 out of 37 counts of sexual assault. None of this was put in the media to protect you, I was very adamant about that. So no one knew, unless we told them. He was arrested and the trail date was set for October 1st, when 3 days before he had a heart attack and died. His funeral was 2 days later, and none of us went. We went out for dinner instead, and you were so relieved, and after dinner we went home and told Primrose what happened." He explains to me.

"Okay. That's good to hear. Do you guys want to hear some good news?" I ask them.

Then the doorbell rings, with the pizza. Peeta runs and answers the door, and brings the pizza into the living room and puts it on the coffee table, and then he goes into the kitchen and gets paper plates.

While he's gone, Prim says "You two seem awfully close considering you have no memories. I'm glad you can trust him."

"I'll tell you why I do when he gets back." I tell her.

Peeta comes back and I continue on with my story.

"So now for the good news," I say while grabbing a few pieces of pizza, I'm practically in tears because it smells so good. Damn pregnancy hormones. "After I told Peeta about what happened I was very upset, so we were lying down on the couch and he was trying to get me to calm down, and I was so I started to fall asleep when I started getting flashes."

"Flashes? What kind of flashes? Are you okay? Do we need to bring you back to the hospital?" My mom asks.

"No, I'm great. So the first flash I get, in my mind all I see is white, and then I remember lying down with Peeta on the couch, just like how were laying in that moment and we were watching tv, and then I got another one where I was leaning and resting my head on his shoulder while reading a book, and my favourite one was I was talking to Prim on the phone and she was telling me some hilarious story about something that happened at school that day and Peeta was playing with my hair." I smile and look at Peeta.

"You're getting your memory back? That's amazing." Prim tells me.

"Yeah I am, but that's not the best part." I can see Peeta staring at me knowingly.

"There's something better than that?" My dad asks.

"Absolutely," I tell him. "So after I get those flashes, I jump off of the couch, Peeta didn't notice because he fell asleep. And that's when I got another one, it was when Peeta and I got engaged. I was so happy that he asked for your permission dad, I just tackled him and said yes. He didn't even ask me to marry him, I didn't even look at the ring and I told him yes. That was a longer memory for me, and then as soon as that one ended, I was remembering our wedding day, I was walking down the aisle, and dad had to physically pull me back because I was so excited. And then we finally get up there and all I was thinking about was Peeta, I didn't even realize the priest was talking to me."

"That's wonderful for you and Peeta. But even though you remember that, you two seem very close. Is there anything else that you aren't telling us?" My mother says to me.

"Yes, there are a few things that you don't know. Do you remember when all the stuff with Uncle Cray was going on, I was never home on Saturday mornings? I would leave on my bike, and once I got my car, I would go to Mellark's bakery. The attacks always happened on a Friday, so Saturday morning was when I would leave to gather my emotions, and try to forget what happened to me. I didn't know Peeta then, but he made the cheese buns at the bakery, and I would get those and a hot chocolate. And I stayed there all morning. Peeta's dad knew something was going on, he could see it in my eyes. I hide it at home, because as you know he threatened me if anyone found out. Mr. Mellark never knew, and I'm sure he still doesn't, but I'll eventually tell him what happened and thank him. That place saved me from going crazy, Uncle Cray took my innocence and my safety, when I went to the bakery I still felt like a kid, and I felt safe there. That's why I trust Peeta now, even with the way my memory is." I didn't realize I was crying, or that everyone else was crying. My dad stands up and grabs Peeta into a hug, and says "Thank you for saving my little girl when I didn't know she needed saving." Peeta just nods.

"Dad there's more news that you need to know." I tell him as he goes and sits back down in the chair.

"After I got the memory of the wedding, there was another memory that I had received. I was standing in the bathroom, and I was remembering that Peeta's birthday was coming up, and we were talking about trying to have kids, once his birthday passed. Well, I had a little surprise up my sleeve. I got rid of all my birth control. No one knew of my plan besides Prim. I remember that a few minutes later. Anyways so I got that memory, and I started putting 2 and 2 together. I zone out when I get a memory back, so once I came to, I just told Peeta that we need to go to a drug store, and I ran out of the room and left and got into the car with him following behind me. I told him everything once we got into the car, and so we went to CVS. I bought 3 pregnancy tests. We came home, I did the tests, all three came back positive. I'm pregnant." I tell them.

Prim tackles me on the couch. "You're having a baby, I'm going to be an aunt."

After Prim gets off of me, she goes and hugs Peeta. My Dad gets up and pulls me into a hug. He's crying. "I'm going to be a grandfather. This the best news." Then my mom grabs me and hugs me. "I'm so proud of you." she tells me.

I walk over to Peeta and he puts his hands on my stomach. "I've been wanted to do that ever since we found out."

"We should make a bet right now, boy or girl?"

"Girl." Peeta says.

"I agree with Peeta." Prim tells me.

"Boy." Dad said.

"I'm going to agree with your father." My mother says.

"I think it's going to be a boy." I say. "Twenty bucks to each person who loses." We all shake hands.

Prim and Peeta make their own secret handshake. "We're going to win."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Katniss' POV

An hour later, we say good bye to my parents and Prim.

I close the door and sigh. I'm exhausted.

Peeta's in the kitchen, cleaning up from eating pizza earlier. I walk into the kitchen – he doesn't hear me – and creep up behind him and hug him. I rub my forehead into his back and squeeze him tighter. It relaxes me, and I can sense it relaxes him too. He turns around so he can hug me, but before he can I stand on my tippy-toes so I can kiss him. I've only kissed him once since I've been out of the hospital, and that triggered a memory. This our first real kiss – at least it is for me. Kissing him I forget everything – all the bad stuff that's been at the front of my mind since I woke up, and for a moment I feel completely normal, and I can remember everything and then it's gone.

He pulls away, and I open my eyes and smile.

"Hi." I say.

"Hi." He says back.

I feel frustrated that I got that perfect moment of clarity. I wish I never got it.

"What's going on in that mind of yours?" Peeta asks me.

I sigh, and rub my face with my hands, I turn away from him and go and sit on the chair at the island. I prop my elbows on the countertop and look at him. He's staring at me from the other side.

"I just, I feel like… ugh, I don't even know where to begin." I take a deep breath and collect my thoughts. "So we were kissing just now, and for a moment, a second, it was like I remembered everything, I had this sense of clarity, and it was wonderful. And now I hate it. I would rather get one memory back at a time than that. Feeling like that and then going back to how I feel now, it's suffocating. All I can think about are _his _hands on my body, and I'm pregnant. One minute, I'm so happy that we're having a baby. A baby that you and me made together. But in my memory, he was forcing himself on me 2 weeks ago, it almost feels like I cheated on you. I'm in love with you right now, in my 18 year old mind, I love you. And another guy forced himself on me, and I feel dirty. I wish I could feel the way I did for that one second during our kiss. I would give anything to feel that. And not relive this twice. I can still feel his hands around my neck. I'm terrified, and I'm exhausted, and I'm pregnant, my emotions are already running high, and now I'm hormonal. I don't know how to handle all my emotions. He haunts me when I'm awake and he's waiting for me in my dreams, and I can't take it anymore, Peeta. I can't." I tell him as I start to sob. "I'm sick and tired of crying all the time. One minute I feel totally fine, and the next I'm bursting into tears."

"I can't tell you what to feel, but I will tell you this: I love you. And what's different this time compared to last time is that I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. I'll always be here, I'll be here for whatever you need. I can be a distraction, a shoulder to cry on, or to sleep on, I will try my best to make you laugh, and I'll try to make you so happy and comfortable. I will protect you from your own mind. You have your family still, and they will help you. You aren't alone in this, and you'll never be alone again. Now, come on let's go upstairs and get ready for bed."

"You always know what to say to me to calm me down." I tell him.

I follow Peeta in the opposite direction of the living room, and we go upstairs. I'm too exhausted to even pay attention to anything, all I remember is that there is a bathroom attached to our bedroom. I walk into the bathroom and brush my teeth. I'm too tired to shower tonight, I'll shower in the morning. I fall asleep immediately, and a few minutes later I hear the shower running for Peeta. A few minutes later I wake up to Peeta climbing into bed. I roll over and put my head on his chest and fall back to sleep.

I wake up, and I don't know what time it is, and I bolt for the bathroom.

I make it just in time to throw up to contents of my stomach before I start freaking out.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no!

Peeta comes in the bathroom and I start screaming and crying curled up in a ball on the floor.

I can't stop crying, I'm so hysterical, and I'm barely breathing.

"I can't help you, if I don't know what's going on." Peeta tells me.

"Get your phone and call my mom." I tell him. I can barely think straight.

I can hear him on the phone in the other room, filling my mom in on what's going on. I can hear him say 'I've never seen her so upset, she just told me to call you.' There's a pause. 'Yeah, I'll see if she'll talk to you.'

Peeta comes into the bathroom, I haven't moved positions, so I'm still on the floor. He comes and sits next to me and I grab his hand. I take his phone, and put the speaker on.

"Mom." I say as a tortured cry.

"Katniss, honey what's wrong?" she says.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I ask her.

"I talked to Cinna, your therapist, and he recommended that we didn't say anything. He thought it would be best if you just remembered on your own. He was concerned that if we told you, you would go into a state of shock, and that your mind would stop itself from trying to remember anything." She tells me.

"_He _got me pregnant." I say while gasping for air.

"Breathe Katniss, yes he got you pregnant, you found out and we took you to the doctors a few days later and you had miscarried."

"So, there was never a baby?" I say in a small voice.

"No, there was never a baby." She says. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah, I've got Peeta." I squeeze his hand.

"Okay, I'll talk to you later, I love you." She said.

"Okay, I love you too. Bye." I say to her, and I hang up.

We sit there for a few minutes, before either of us moves.

"I remember waking up, and I got a memory of looking at a pregnancy test, and I just started screaming. That's when I knew. That was my worst fear that he would get me pregnant, and I would have to raise a child that was created out of my own personal hell. How would I explain to that child about their father? I used to get nightmares about that. Now, I just relive that first time over and over and over again. Can you please distract me? My mind is going places I really don't want it to go." I plead with Peeta.

"How about we go make breakfast, and then we can call your doctor to set up an appointment to check on our baby. And if you're feeling up to it, do you want to go see my dad today? He's at the bakery, I'm sure that will help you."

"Okay, we should do that today. Can you please help me get up, I'm feeling a little dizzy." I tell him.

He grabs both of my hands and helps me to my feet. I brush my teeth before we leave the bathroom, and head downstairs. I'm still feeling a little queasy, so I have toast, and an applesauce and I sip water. I know I'll be eating cheese buns once we go to the bakery. We call my doctors from the car, and I have an appointment tomorrow – the same day as dinner with Annie and Finnick.

We pull up to the bakery, and I smile.

"Does your dad know we're coming?" I ask Peeta.

"No, he doesn't. But he's going to be so happy to see you." He tells me.

"I have a feeling I'm going to be getting some memories back as soon as we walk inside. So apologize to your dad on my behalf while I zone out. You can fill him in on what's going on while I'm out of it. I don't care if you tell him about the baby or Cray. I would prefer if you told him about Cray while I'm zoned out."

"Okay, I can do that. Come on, let's go." And we get out of the car.

"Hey Peeta?" I say to him.

"Yeah." He says.

"I love you." I tell him.

He smiles. "I love you too."

As soon as we walk into the bakery. I'm hit with a new memory.

I'm walking into the bakery, I had just learned about the miscarriage and I was crying.

I lock eyes with Mr. Mellark and he looked at me with eyes full of concern.

I order a cheese bun with a scratchy voice that cracks with every word I say.

As soon as I turn around to leave, I hear Mr. Mellark say

'Katniss, whatever happened to you, you're not alone. You can't blame yourself, people make their own decisions, and act on them. It isn't your fault. Whatever you do, try to be happy and put whatever happened to you in your past. A young girl like you shouldn't be sad. The world is your oyster, you decide how your life is going to be.'

The memory ends, and I'm sitting on a chair with Peeta and his dad standing on the other side of the room talking quietly.

"Peeta, how long was I out of it?"

"About 45 minutes."

"Seriously? The memory wasn't even that long." I tell him.

"What did you remember?" he asks me.

"I was here, and I had just heard about the miscarriage and I had been crying. Your dad was here, he could tell I was upset. I got a cheese bun…" I trailed off into my own mind for a couple minutes. Peeta was looking at me expectantly, waiting for me to finish the story. When Mr. Mellark finished it "I always knew something serious was going on with Katniss, but I never pushed it because she was comfortable here. When she came in, she looked even more upset than usual, but I could see it in her eyes, that whatever happened was over, but she looked guilty. So I told her 'Katniss, whatever happened to you, you're not alone. You can't blame yourself, people make their own decisions, and act on them. It isn't your fault. Whatever you do, try to be happy and put whatever happened to you in your past. A young girl like you shouldn't be sad. The world is your oyster, you decide how your life is going to be.' And she looked at me in wonder, she couldn't believe what I said to her, but the realization was sinking in when she left. I had a feeling I helped her in more ways than anyone ever could." He says.

"It's true, once everything with Cray was over, I started to blame myself, and had a lot of what if thinking. And I came in here, because it was my safe place, and when you told me that, it was the first time I let go of the guilt. I didn't choose for this to happen to me. Cray was the one who continued to torture a young innocent child for years. He made the decision to keep coming after me. That day, I went home to my parents, and told them I needed help in dealing with this. That's when I started to see Cinna. I don't think I'll need that this time around, I've got Peeta, and I don't feel alone. So thank you, for your words that day. You saved me when I didn't know how to ask for help."

They both stare at me with shocked faces, I don't think they were expecting all that. I wasn't expecting to say all of that either.

I smile, "Peeta, do you want to tell your dad the good news?"

That gets his attention. "So, dad, I'm just going to blurt out and say it, you're going to be a grandfather, Katniss is pregnant."

"I'm going to be a grandfather, there's going to be little baby Mellarks running around here soon?" he asks. He's crying now, he's so happy.

"Well, I hope it's just one for now, but more in the future. We have our doctor's appointment tomorrow, so we will know more then. I just found out yesterday." I tell him.

"We're going to have more kids?" Peeta asks.

I sense that we've never had this type of discussion before.

"Of course, we're going to have a soccer team. I love having a sister, this baby for sure needs at least one sibling." I tell him. I hope he doesn't want to only have one child.

"Really?" He asks in a small voice.

"Really." I say.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Katniss POV

The next morning, as I'm braiding my hair, I get another memory.

The first thing I feel is happiness, I'm so happy. I walk out of the bakery, waving goodbye to Mr. Mellark when I ran into someone.

'Sorry, I wasn't paying attention.' I say to the guy. I look up at I'm staring into brilliant blue eyes.

'Don't worry about it, its fine.' He tells me.

Then we just stare at each other.

'I'm Katniss.' I tell him.

'I'm Peeta.' He says. 'It was nice bumping into you, I should come by my dad's shop more often.'

'I'm sure you'd see me here, I come by all the time. The cheese buns are my favorite.'

'I'm glad you like them, I make them.'

'Really? They're amazing.'

'Thank you, well I better get going. My dad's expecting me.'

'Well, I don't want to keep you waiting. I'm sure I'll see you again soon, I usually come in on Saturday mornings. It was really nice meeting you Peeta.'

'I'll see you around Katniss.'

I turn and walk towards my car, and I can feel his eyes watching me as I'm walking towards my car. I turn back around smile and wave and get into my car. He waves back, and heads inside the bakery.

The memory ends and I'm smiling like a fool in the bathroom. As I walk out I run into Peeta and I start laughing, I'm laughing so hard I start to cry.

"I don't know why I'm laughing. But, I was going to find you. I remembered the first time we met, and we ran into each other. It's very ironic that it just happened again."

"That was one of the best days of my life. I met you and my Dad told me he was giving me the business."

"I called Prim on the way home, freaking out. I was so excited. She thought I was acting crazy. But I told her, I was like there's just something about him. I don't know what it is, but I really hoped I would see you again. I'm so happy that we did."

"Me too. Let's go, we're going to be late for our doctor's appointment. We get to see our baby. I'm so excited." He holds my hand and walks with me downstairs.

Once we get in the car, I ask him. "Do you think we'll hear the heart beat today?"

"I don't know, I hope so. It'll make the baby so much more real than what it already is." He said.

We arrive at the doctor's office, and we are brought into a room.

"You can change into this." A nurse tells me as she leaves the room.

"I can leave the room, so you can get changed." Peeta tells me.

"Peeta, it's fine. I'll need you to tie this up for me. Plus, it's not anything you haven't seen before." I tell him.

He laughs. "That's true."

There's a knock at the door. A doctor comes in, and she introduces herself as Portia.

"So, I hear congratulations are in order, you're pregnant. The hospital sent over your blood work from your accident. You are officially pregnant." She tells me.

"Do you know how far along I am?"

"We will do an ultrasound to see. Why don't you lie down on that bed over there and we'll take a look."

"Okay." I walk over there and I start to get nervous.

Peeta sits down on the chair next to the bed and I hold him hand. He rubs circles on my hand and I focus on that while she positions the probe inside of me.

"There's your baby. You're a bit farther along than I expected, you're about 9 weeks. You should start showing any day now. The good news is if you were experiencing any morning sickness it should start going away the closer you get to 12 weeks – your second trimester. I'll give you some prenatal vitamins and you can be on your way. Do you have any questions?"

"Is it too early to hear the heartbeat?"

"Oh no not at all, it may take me a second, but I can find it for you and you can take a listen."

A couple seconds later, the noise fills the room and it's the most beautiful sound in the world. That our baby.

Peeta leans over and kisses me. I'm crying again – not a surprise.

"Can we get a few pictures of the ultrasound?" Peeta asks.

"Absolutely. How many would you like?"

"Five, if that's okay."

"Yeah, I'll go print them off, and get your vitamins, you can change back into your clothes, and you can put the gown in that basket in the corner."

"Okay, thank you." When she closes the door, I ask Peeta to undo the straps of the gown.

"So, five copies, huh? Who are we giving copies to?" He smiles at me.

"One for us to put on the fridge, I know you are going to want to take one to work, another for your dad, my parents and Prim."

"My dad is going to be so excited, he'll probably start crying. It's his first grandchild you know? I may be the youngest, but I was the first to settle down and get married. My brothers are still 'playing the field' as they call it."

"We should give it to him first, since he's probably just as excited as we are about the baby."

"Yeah we can."

"Are Finnick and Annie still coming over for dinner tonight?" I ask him.

"Yes they are, if you want we can cancel, they'll understand."

"No, I don't want to cancel. It's just the pregnancy already makes me tired, and getting memories back makes me tired, and I'm sure seeing them is going to make me get some memories back. So, I think I'll need to nap before they come over. Oh, are we going to tell them about the baby? I know it's a little early, but I'm just too excited."

"Yeah, we should tell them. They will know something is up when you don't drink tonight. You usually have a glass of wine at dinner every night. But alcohol is out of question now. Speaking of, when Portia gets back we should ask her what baby books to recommend. I'm sure there's things that you can't eat, or things to avoid that could be harmful to the baby."

As soon as Peeta says that Portia walks back into the room.

"Here are your vitamins, and your ultrasound pictures. You can make your appointment at the front desk, you can come back in 3 weeks. If you get any severe cramping or have any questions give us a call. As for baby books, I would just go to Barnes and Noble, and have a look. What to Expect when you're expecting is great. But there are tons on the market that are awesome. I'll see you in a few weeks."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Katniss' POV

We walk back into the house, and I'm already ready for a nap. I follow Peeta into the kitchen, so we can start making dinner for when Annie and Finnick arrive. We are having pasta, salad and garlic bread. The thought of having that for dinner, is almost bringing me to tears.

"Peeta, do we have trail mix with M&Ms in it?" I ask him.

"Yeah, we do. Why?" Peeta asks.

"Because I'm craving it, and I need to eat it now." I tell him.

I find the trail mix in the cabinet, and start eating it right out of the bag. I start crying.

"Katniss, are you okay?" Peeta asks, with a concerned look on his face.

"It just tastes so good." I tell him, and start laughing through the tears. "We are going to have to start keeping this in the house, all the time. That and pickles, oh and watermelon. And chocolate cake. And oranges." I say.

"Okay, anything to keep you and the baby happy." He tells me.

"I'm going to put the ultrasound picture on the fridge, and then I think I'm going to take a nap. I can't wait for the first trimester to be over, than I won't be so tired." I kiss Peeta, and then leave the room.

I don't even make it back to the kitchen before passing out in the living room.

Peeta wakes me up, it feels like I just fell asleep, but it turns out I've been sleeping for 3 hours.

When I look at him, I start laughing, and he's looking at me like I've got 3 heads.

"How many times have me and Annie won the Nerf gun fight by our winning tactic?" I say between laughs.

He blushes. "You're undefeated."

I start to laugh even harder. "You should call Finnick and tell him we're playing a few rounds tonight."

"Will you be using the same tactic?" He asks me, while walking closer to me and putting his hands on my hips. His voice a lot lower than usual.

"Maybe." I say coyly, while wrapping my arms around his neck, and I run my fingers through his hair.

I bring his lips towards mine, and kiss him. He pulls me against him by my hips and moves his hands to the small of my back and I pull on his bottom lip with both of mine. He lets out a throaty moan that gives me the goose bumps. He removes his lips from mine and I whine, he laughs and starts kissing down my neck and I sigh.

I pull him towards the counter and he lifts me up and sits me on the counter. I wrap my legs around him and start kissing him again. I'm so hormonal that if he doesn't stop soon, Annie and Finnick might walk in on us doing it on the counter.

Then, the timer goes off, I'm grateful… at least this way Finnick and Annie won't find us in a compromising position. Peeta kisses my forehead and goes and checks on the garlic bread in the oven. I'm trying to catch my breath. This boy has got me all hot and bothered, I don't know how we're going to make it through dinner without me trying to jump him.

I jump off the counter and lean against it. Peeta is going to be the death of me. I watch him as he takes the garlic bread out of the oven. How he makes that so sexy I have no idea. Since I woke up it's like a new Katniss has been born. A very horny Katniss, and I have to wait to be satisfied which is infuriating. Here I go again with the hormones. So now I'm glaring at Peeta, and then he catches my eye.

"You're going to be the death of me." I tell him.

"I'm pretty sure it's the other way around." He says.

"Nope." I say and pop the 'p'. "I'm pregnant and horny, I've got it worse."

He shuts the oven off and walks over to me, he runs his hands over my chest, and gently squeezes and I experience an earth-shattering orgasm.

"Did you just…?" He asks.

"Mhmm. You're that good." I say to him breathlessly.

"But, I literally just touched you. I really didn't even do anything." He says.

"You really don't understand the effect you have over me. These next 7 months are going to be amazing. You just touch me and I get an orgasm, what it going to be like when we have sex?" I say with a huge grin, while he stares at me with his mouth open, as I jump off the counter and I go change.

A few minutes later, I come back downstairs and I sit at the island in the kitchen. Peeta and I are staring at each other and I have to squeeze my legs together to calm down.

"Is staring at me, helping your situation?" He asks with a smirk as he checks me out.

"No." I say in whining sob, and now I'm crying. Great.

"Katniss, I didn't mean to upset you," He tells me, and pulls me into a hug. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"You aren't upsetting me. God, I'm so hormonal. I'm so horny and like sexually frustrated I'm actually uncomfortable. I don't know how I'm going to make it through dinner without jumping you. How long has it even been since the last time we did it?" I ask him.

"We can always cut the dinner short, if that makes you feel any better. And it's been 8 days." He tells me.

"No, I think I'll be okay, when they're here I'll be distracted. I'm sure if I had to wait any longer than 8 days, I would be crying. But the minute they leave, me and you in the bedroom. Deal?"

"Deal." We shake hands. "Are we telling them about the baby?"

"Yes, they are going to know anyways because I won't be drinking and we also have the ultrasound picture on the fridge. I'm so excited to meet them, I hope as soon as I see them, I can remember them. Hopefully I don't zone out for too long."

"They should be here soon." The doorbell rings. "Never mind they are here now." He says.

Peeta holds my hand, and we walk to the door. Peeta opens the door and I see Finnick and Annie holding hands and smiling.

All of a sudden, everything goes white, and Peeta steadies me.

I remember _everything._


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Katniss POV

I'm lying on the couch, I don't know how long it's been, but I'm so stunned I can't move. I think I can hear Peeta talking, but I'm not sure. Someone is holding my hand, but I know it isn't Peeta.

I open my eyes, to see Annie, holding my hand, looking very concerned.

"Annie, what happened? Where's Peeta and Finnick?" I ask her.

"When Finnick and I got here, you passed out, and Peeta brought you in here. He's in the kitchen by the way, with Finnick - he's freaking out – he's on the phone with your mom. You've been passed out for over an hour. As long as you were still breathing than there was no reason to bring you to the hospital, even though he wanted to. You haven't been left alone since you passed out. Do you know why you passed out? Peeta said that you usually zone out when you get a memory back, but this was different, you passed out in his arms." She asks me.

"I was so excited that you and Finnick were coming over. But I was a little nervous, because Peeta told me that you two are a big part of our lives, so I was expecting to get memories back when I'd seen the both of you. I remember walking to the door with Peeta, and I saw you and Finnick and then everything went white and I remembered everything, and then I woke up." I tell her.

"Katniss, that's amazing! Do you want me to get you anything, besides Peeta?" She smiles. She knows me too well. I can tell why we're best friends.

I laugh. "Peeta and water."

"Okay, Finnick and I will just stay in the kitchen. Have Peeta come get us when you're ready. There's no rush." She squeezes my hand and gets off the floor and practically runs into the kitchen.

While Annie, goes and gets Peeta, I try to sit up on the couch. With some effort I manage to sit up, but I'm very dizzy. I lean my head against the cushions and I massage my temples with my fingers. It helps.

I don't hear Peeta come in, but I feel his arm wrap around my shoulder.

"How are you feeling?" he asks me.

"Did Annie tell you anything?" I ask him.

"No, she just said that you wanted some water and me. Should she have told me something?" he asks, I can tell he's starting to get worried.

"O-kay." My voice cracks and I'm crying again. "Stupid hormones."

I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand and try to pull myself together. I take deep breathes.

"Katniss, what's wrong?" he asks me and he uses his hand to guide my face to have me look in his eyes.

I break out into a huge smile, and climb on top of him. He seems surprised.

"As soon as you opened the door, and I saw Annie and Finnick everything went white. I remember falling, and you catching me, and then I remembered everything and then it went black." I tell him as the news sinks in.

"You remember everything? Even the stuff after the accident?" he asks with a smile on his face.

"Yes and yes." I tell him.

"Katniss, that's amazing." He says.

I laugh. "I know, that's exactly what Annie said." He laughs.

"I love you." I tell him.

"I love you too."

And then I pull him in for a kiss, it doesn't take long before I start getting carried away. I start rocking against him, and I let out a moan. Peeta runs his hands down my ribcage and I shiver.

"Katniss," he says in a husky voice. "We have to stop, if we keep going, I won't be able to, and Finnick and Annie are in the other room."

"Peeta, please." I whine at him, while starting to cry. "Please."

He wipes the tears from my cheeks. "What do you need me to do?"

I move his hands towards my boobs, and he runs his hands over them a couple times, before he rubs his thumb across my nipples. As soon as he does that, I'm sent over the edge into another earth shattering orgasm. Luckily I stayed quiet, so there won't be any embarrassing moments.

I kiss Peeta again. "I love you so much."

Peeta kisses me on the forehead and I melt to his touch. "I love you too."

"So, are we going to bring Annie and Finnick back in here, or did we just invite them over so they could hang out in our kitchen?"

"I'll go and get them in a second. I need to go to the bathroom first. Also, I haven't told them about the baby just yet. I wanted to wait, so we could tell them together." He says.

"Okay, that sounds great to me." I tell him as I roll off of him. He stands up and hands me a glass of water. I take sips while he goes to the bathroom, and goes and gets Finnick and Annie.

They all come into the living room moments later.

"Finnick, it's so nice to see you." I tell him. "I would get up and give you a hug, but I'm still feeling a bit dizzy at the moment."

"It's totally fine, I'm just glad you're feeling better. Annie told me you got your memory back." He says to me.

"Yes. It's very good news, that I got my memory back. But Peeta and I also have some even better news." I say as Peeta comes and sits on the couch next to me, and I lean my head on his shoulder and hold his hand.

"You have even better news? Annie and I have news as well." He smiles and gives Annie a knowing look, and she blushes.

"Well, let's hear it." Peeta says to them with excitement in his voice.

"We're pregnant!" Annie screams.

"What? You're pregnant? I'm pregnant." I tell her.

"What?"

"Peeta and I are having a baby." I say.

"Oh my god. We're both pregnant at the same time. This is amazing. We can raise our kids together…." She trails off, as she start crying.

"It is amazing." I say as I start crying. "I've been trying not to cry since I woke up, I couldn't show any hints until Peeta and I told both of you."

"This really is going to be awesome. We're both going to be fathers." Finnick tells Peeta.

They stand up and give each other a hug – they both have huge grins on their faces.

Annie rushes over from the other side of the room and gives me a hug, while we both cry.

"This is so exciting. We get to raise our kids together." Peeta says. "How far along are you?"

"I'm 12 weeks." Annie says. "How about you Katniss?"

"I'm 9 weeks. We were just too excited to not tell anyone."

"I'm so happy, I could cry all the time just thinking about it."

"Me too." I tell Annie. Me too.


End file.
